HUGS

HUGS FOR HAPPINESS

We happened to visit a happy family of Immanuel Ditto, Priya and two smart kids Carlton & Carolin (Real names are added with the permission of the family). While entering their home we heard the voice of those children. As soon as we came in children barged into their mother and said: “Please give us some energy”. We were eager to see what energy she was going to give. Suddenly she stretched her hands towards them and said “come to me and get the energy”. They went closer to her and got a huge hug from their mother and they went back to resume their games.

This was a surprise for us because we were expecting some energy drink but she gave more than that!  Mother looked at us and said that she was recharging her kids! Whenever they find any difficulties they come to me. It is a way of building a deep relationship between us. This incident made us think about the power of touch especially hug.

Touch is the first sense we acquire and the secret weapon in many successful relationships. Recent studies suggest that number of ways touch can make us stay healthy. Hugging is a most powerful weapon among them. Hugging is a physical acknowledgment of the presence of another with the intention of expressing affection. Comfort hugs are often longer and may continue until the other person has calmed down. It may be used to develop trust and create an emotional and identity-forming bond with the other person. In coming close together you effectively 'becomes one', joining identities for a few moments.

A sad fact is that spontaneous hugging seems to be in the decline in societies where fears of abuse and litigation override the simple pleasures of an affectionate hug.

While looking back to the cases dealt by Don Bosco CHILDLINE last year, we found that more than 35% of the children ran away from their own homes due to lack of care from their parents. Family is the first place for restoring a child. Many times we find it difficult to suggest it due to dysfunctional families. In such families children often grow up without receiving love and physical touch. The neglect they receive often makes them run away when they grow older.  If the families are imitating the energy charger of the above said happy family, we believe some major neglect issues can be solved.